Moment of Truth
by CrAzY-SiLLy-Me
Summary: The moment they started spending time together, their relationship changed until feelings just started to bloom. She feels safe and secure whenever he's around, and he feels like he can do anything and everything with her by his side. SlightAUOOC
1. Minako:  Gaze

_A/N: I'm taking a break from my Naruto stories since my fandom for the series and the pairing I love is in dormant mode_. _Currently, it's my Akihiko x Minako fandom that's overflowing, so I've thought about it and figured that I should write a multi-chaptered series for them - in a way, this is kind of like a drabble. I hope I managed to get them right. This is from Minako's POV, while the next one would be in Akihiko's._

In other words, odd-numbered chapters are Minako's while even-numbered ones are Akihiko's.

* * *

**Gaze  
**_I tried to read between the lines  
I tried to look in your eyes

* * *

_

"Hey, Arisato!"

I halted in my tracks and swiftly turned to see who had yelled out my family name, the call reaching my ears despite the blaring music coming from my clip-on earphones. Yukari had always wondered how I could still hear people calling me despite the music blaring from my earphones, but I just grinned at her and said that I have special hearing.

The person who caught my attention reached my side, and I let him catch his breath first.

"I didn't see you in the train earlier." He said after recovering – he pretty much loved to run whenever he gets the chance.

Realizing that I had to at least say something, I pulled off my red earphones and sent Sanada-senpai a smile. "I thought you went on ahead."

He gave a small grin and a shake of his head. "I just wake up early for a morning jog, and then take the train to get here."

"So you don't travel by foot?"

Hearing him laugh made my heart thump louder, and the fact that some students had turned their attention to us upon hearing senpai's laughter made me flush a little.

"I'm still human Arisato." He gave my head a pat, a typical action which a senior does to a junior they are acquainted with – I think. "Anyway, if you're not doing anything after school, I'm usually free on Mondays and Fridays, I get bored when we don't have any club meetings, so come see me if you've got time." He walked on ahead after lifting one hand up as a form of goodbye, and I couldn't help but stare at his back, at how he had the school's jacket hanging from his right shoulder while his bag was on his left.

Did Sanada-senpai just indirectly asked me to hang out with him?

My thoughts got cut off when the warning bell alerted the arriving students of the time, so I ran all the way to my classroom, the short chat I had with Sanada-senpai still fresh in my mind.

It was hard to understand what he truly meant behind his words, since there were times when he meant things literally, and times when his words held a deeper meaning. Since I got to the dorm a few weeks ago, my life hadn't been completely normal. In fact, I didn't even think I'd actually agree to be a part of SEES, much less accept the role of leader when exploring Tartarus.

No matter, if my two seniors believe I have what it takes, then I'm not about to let them down!

Besides, when Sanada-senpai had looked straight into my eyes upon assigning me the role, I couldn't refuse or protest. His gaze had held mine for a short while, as if daring me to say "no", as if challenging me to back down.

I already know of his role in the Boxing team of Gekkoukan High, so it was without a doubt that he was strong. He unfortunately got injured while fighting a Shadow on his own on the night I had first awoken Orpheus, but despite that wound preventing him from fighting with us just yet, his eyes which held my own already said so much about him.

It was the first time I had felt a sense of security since my parents died, the first time I gained confidence in myself when he believed I was capable to lead a team…

He spoke of words which may or may not mean literally, and his eyes held emotions which he keeps hidden from the people around him.

I want to get to know him better, I want to know the meaning behind each word he speaks of, I want to be able to look back into his eyes someday…


	2. Akihiko: Cherish

**Cherish  
**_Your hand brushes mine  
And a thousand sensations seduce me

* * *

_

I sighed for about the tenth time that day as another girl blocked my path.

"No." I said before she could even ask, and side-stepped her in order to proceed downstairs.

As I reached the first floor, I stopped and recalled something this morning…

I had told Arisato that I usually stayed in this area during Mondays and Fridays after school. It's not like I was expecting her to take the offer, since I'm pretty sure she has friends her age to hang out with, if not club activities. Plus, Mitsuru had asked her to join the Student Council, so she's probably busy right n-

"Senpai!"

I swiftly turned around, just in time to meet Arisato's cheerful smile greet me as she reached that last step of the stairs.

"Arisato…" I nodded in acknowledgement. "Are you going home?"

The smile remained on her face, and I expected her to say something like "no, I'm headed somewhere" but instead, she asked if I wanted to walk home with her.

I sensed the other students looking our way, as if waiting for my response, and from the looks on their faces, they probably expected me to reject her – but this was Arisato, the leader of SEES.

"Okay," I said, my lips automatically curving upwards to form a smile. It just shows whenever I'm speaking with someone I'm acquainted or comfortable with. "Then do you mind if we stop somewhere on the way? There's something I'm in the mood for."

"Sure." She chirped, walking alongside me. I took small glances at the girls glaring at her, but Arisato simply continued humming a tune I'm not familiar with while half-skipping and half-walking next to me. The action caused me to smile a bit – it was a pretty amusing sight.

I was pretty much at peace on the way to the strip mall, thankful for the quiet atmosphere. I had thought of Arisato as someone like Takeba, since they got along pretty well, and I've seen how Arisato is with other people too.

She's surprisingly quiet with me though, seemingly content in listening to her music. Not to mention that she isn't prodding me for a conversation, nor is she starting it.

It was a really nice change.

I stopped walking when we reached Hagakure Ramen, and I turned to her, seeing if she was alright with this, and to my shock, she didn't stop at all and just went on inside, stopping to look at me, the smile still on her face. "Coming senpai?"

"A-ah, right." I followed her, and to my relief, the place wasn't as crowded as it usually was.

We got ourselves a table, and I watched as she picked up her portable player, looked at it for a while with a smile I couldn't understand, before pressing a button and letting it fall and hang around her neck. She lifted her hands up to pull off her earphones, and then raised her head to meet my gaze.

"You're okay with the special, right?" I ended up asking, inwardly slapping myself for not even asking her first.

"Yep." She grinned, and I looked towards the cook to order us both an extra-large. "Can I order some appetizers too?"

"Haha, yeah. Eat as much as you'd like." I told her, amused. "Physical strength is everything. Your skills are truly remarkable…" I trailed off for a moment, seeing her looking back at me, listening to every word I said. "But…" I could have sworn my voice hitched. "…They won't be of any use if you get exhausted easily." I finished, unsure if that was what I had really meant to say, or just ended up saying because of her stare.

I never really got a good look at how bright her eyes were, and how those crimson irises suited her so much.

When our food came, I couldn't help but look at her as she snapped her chopsticks in half and declared an "Itadakimasu" before digging in.

I followed her actions a little while later, enjoying her company.

I finished ahead of her, and when she was done with her own meal, I was pretty amazed.

"Amazing, you completely polished that off."

She gave me a tiny smile, and that was enough for me to know that she wasn't doing too well. To test it out, I asked if she was up to going for another restaurant.

From the way her eyes widened and how she bit her lower lip, I already knew she couldn't eat another bite, but I wanted to know what she would say given this situation.

"A-Another meal? Let's go!"

I inwardly sighed. So she was the kind of person who would do anything if she knows it would make the other one happy, huh? Heh.

"Are you sure? You don't look so well." I pointed out, pushing the amusement I felt in the back of my head. Because even if I was a bit happy that she'd go that far to please someone, I wasn't at all thrilled at the idea that she'd forget about herself. With that, I sighed and closed my eyes. "Don't let yourself suffer just to be friendly, seriously…"

"E-ehehe… sorry senpai…" she stuck her tongue out at me. "I just… well, I didn't want to disappoint…"

I can understand that. I didn't like the idea of disappointing someone either – but those… girls are an exception.

"You must have a really small stomach." I ended up saying, not knowing why I seemed to like poking fun at her. "If you don't eat right, you'll never grow stronger."

I know it appears as if I'm treating her like a little kid, but I can't help it…

"Why are you glaring at me like that?" I almost laughed. "I'm not Junpei. I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl. Mitsuru was the one who recommended you to be our leader, but I thought you'd be best in that position too." Her eyes almost lit up in an instant, and I could feel a faint smile tugging on my lips. "…So, do your best and do a good job, okay?" I said, aware of how my voice had gotten unusually soft. "Our… lives are on the line too after all. And of course, we'll do our best to back you up. You're not the only one who's going to be trying hard out there."

My smile faltered when she gave me one of her own. "I'll be counting on you then, senpai."

…It's the only way for me to keep whatever these strange feelings are in check.

"W-Well, since we're done eating, I guess we should go back." I stood up and stretched a bit. "Let's get a quick jog in to help settle our stomachs."

Once more, to my surprise, she immediately smiled and stood, afterwards, grabbed my wrist and led me out of Hagakure.

By the time we were out of the Strip mall, she had let go and sprinted, yelling back to me to catch her if I could.

It took a while for me to snap from my thoughts, and when I finally made my legs move, I was able to catch up to her in no time, even taking the lead for a few short seconds before slowing down a bit to cheer her on.

I couldn't explain why I felt so free that time, it wasn't my first time to jog, yet it felt a lot more fulfilling…

But that's not what bugged me all the way back to the dorm, rather…. The feeling of her hand on mine earlier was still lingering in my head, even as we went to Tartarus.


	3. Minako: Gestures

**Gestures**_  
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me  
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall

* * *

  
_

The Shrine was just up ahead, and the sight of it made my lips curve upwards as I picked up my pace, running even faster than ever.

I'll make it, I'm sure I can!

A gust of wind swept pass me, and I almost tripped when I saw something red, and I slowed to a stop and gaped at Sanada-senpai, seeing him hunched over after climbing the steps of Naganaki Shrine. He was breathing hard when I reached him, but I was too – though that's not the point!

"Phew…" he sighed. My eyes automatically turned to the beads of sweat that glistened on his skin when he straightened up, causing some of it to part from his body and fall to the ground. "Let's take a short break."

I managed to even my breathing after a few seconds, suppressing my amazement at how fast he was, at the same time, trying hard to forget the fact that he had defeated me in our race.

"The wind's starting to pick up..." I heard senpai say, looking up at the sky as a breeze cooled us down. It was a pretty long run from Gekkoukan High to Naganaki Shrine after all. I looked around and noticed that we were alone, which explained why it was a lot quieter than normal. "That's actually a blessing after working up a good sweat…" his eyes closed as a small smile made its way to his lips. "It feels nice."

It's just like senpai to say such things…

"I usually train at the club room or alone in my own room at the dorm…"

That information sunk deep into my head, and my mouth just moved on its own as words came from my lips. "I'll train with you, if you want."

My ears twitched when he gave a short laugh. "It'd be nice to have a running partner." And his amusement turned to a sly grin. "But if you join me, we're going to do more than just run everyday, okay?"

I had to shake my head to not think of perverted thoughts. Sanada-senpai wasn't that kind of guy, so he obviously meant other kinds of training – probably push-ups and crunches…

"In any case, I should've changed into my work gear…" He sighed, lowering his head to look at his attire. "I thought this would be just a light run for fun, but I'm drenched in sweat…"

"Don't catch a cold." I grinned, worried that he might get sick.

"This is nothing, I'll be fine." He assured me, just as the wind blew harder and colder, causing him to suddenly sneeze. I stared at him for a while, seeing him look away and blush. "…I said I'll be fine." And I burst out laughing.

It took a while for me to stop, and when I finally did, I saw senpai eyeing the horizontal bar. "Hey, want to try that before we head back?"

I almost gulped.

"You can't do a back hip circle, can you?" He smirked, the grin on his face taunting me.

"W-well I bet you can't either, senpai!"

"Oh, really?" He chuckled. "I'm actually quite good at it." I watched as he grabbed the bar and turned to me. "Want me to show you?"

I wordlessly nodded as he hung upside down for a while before swinging backwards in a full circle.

"Everybody should be able to do this." He looked at me, and I could tell how smug he was feeling.

I pouted and crossed my arms.

"Heh. Can you at least sit up here?"

I looked towards him, seeing those reassuring eyes, seeing that encouraging smile, seeing an outstretched hand…

My body moved on its own as I lifted a hand up, his gloved one taking it, fingers enclosing on mine as he pulled – the force letting me know just how strong he is, reminding me of how powerful those hands are – whether it's against an opponent on the boxing ring, or a Shadow in Tartarus.

"This takes me back…" he spoke, his tone softer than normal as I sat next to him, gripping onto the bar while keeping my balance. "It reminds me of when I was a kid…"

I glanced at him, seeing his gaze looking out into the far distance.

"I need to get stronger." He mumbled later on. "If I don't get stronger, I won't be able to save anything."

My eyes half-closed at his dedication, and somehow, something inside me just admired him all the more.

The orange light coming from the setting sun caught our attention, and when I turned to look back at my senpai, he looked like he was glowing.

"…We should get going." He said, turning to me with a barely-there smile. "Were you sweating today too? Make sure you take a bath so you don't catch a cold."

I laughed. "Translation: I want to go to Tartarus tonight."

"T-That's not what I meant..!" He blushed once more before jumping down. "C-Come on, stop laughing..!"

I decided to spare him – after all, I wouldn't be able to get down from here without his help…

Oh okay, I can, but I need an excuse to be able to touch his hand again, right?

"Hey, senpai, bet you can't catch me if I jump!"

His eyes glinted from the challenge – heh. I just knew he'd take the bait.

"Try me." He said with a smirk, arms wide and ready - and without hesitating, I jumped and landed into his arms.


	4. Akihiko: Hues

**Hues  
**_Feelin' red, when you spend all your time with your friends and not me instead  
Feelin' black, when I think about all of the things that I feel I lack

* * *

_

What was that all about – I wonder…

I couldn't stop thinking about it, even when going to Tartarus, or when I'm in my class…

"_Taichou_..!"

I can't stop thinking how warm she was when I caught her after jumping down from the horizontal bar…

"Taichou!"

I blinked a few times and lowered my fist right after delivering a frustrated jab to the punching bag and turned to one of the club members who called me.

"Finally..! I was beginning to think you were deaf, you know?"

"Sorry." I muttered, choosing to lower my head. "I just had a lot in my mind…"

More like had _someone_ in my mind.

How can I think about Arisato's warmth like it's such a big deal? I mean, she's a living human being, she's supposed to be warm!

"Aren't you going to take a break and grab lunch, taichou? There's only less than thirty minutes left!"

That had definitely captured my attention. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, so get going taichou..!"

I frowned and rushed to take a quick shower, afterwards, instantly changed back into my uniform and ran out of the club room with my hair still damp. I double checked the time and cursed as I realized that I have less than ten minutes left, and during that time, I had bumped into someone. My arm automatically shot out to grab the smaller figure's wrist, preventing the person from falling.

"Sorry about- Arisato?"

Bright red eyes blinked at me as I slowly let her go when she finally stood on her own.

Why oh _why_ did I have to bump into her? It's bad enough that she's been occupying my head for the pass few days!

"Oh, senpai." She bowed down to me slightly to show respect to an upperclassman – typical Arisato. "Were you in a rush?"

I grimaced once I had remembered my other predicament. I won't have any more time left to grab a bite to eat, so with a defeated sigh, I'll just have to go to that Beef Bowl Shop after school.

"Judging from your damp hair, I think you just came out from the showers." She grinned at me as I turned to look back at her. "Got too engrossed in your training, huh senpai?"

"Yeah, there's no club meeting after school today, so I figured I'd make up for it during lunch."

She laughed slightly and shook her head, and I couldn't help but smile back. Perhaps the reason why I dwelled so much at her warmth is because she's not like any other girl, which is why I'm comfortable being around her. That's it.

…At least, I hope that's it.

"You're addicted senpai." She said while clasping her hands behind her back. "You're stomach's going to complain a lot for the remainder of school."

"Yeah, I know." I sighed heavily. And to think that I lectured Arisato about how strength is everything and that she should eat more.

"I shouldn't be keeping what's left of your lunch hour…"

"It's okay." I waved a hand dismissively at her. It wasn't like I'd be able to eat anyway given the few minutes left. "Say, are you free this afternoon?"

The words just flew out of my mouth before I even had a chance to stop myself…

Well, having good company like Arisato's is a lot better than eating alone. Besides, I haven't seen much of Shinji, and I doubt Mitsuru would even agree to eat at such a place. And like hell I'd ask Iori, or even Takeba. It seemed weird to spend time with them, but with our fearless leader, it was pretty comfortable.

"So far." She chirped. "Want me to accompany you somewhere?"

"If you could." I nodded once. "I promise to take you to a great place!"

"Looking forward to it then, senpai."

We bid our goodbyes after that, her heading upstairs to where her classroom was while I went to mine. I could hear whispers from the students around me on my way, but I ignored them, even if I heard my name a couple of times. However, I ended up stopping in my tracks when I heard them mention Arisato's.

Instantly, I turned my head slightly to the group of girls who had uttered her name, but they were too far from my reach by now, and since the bell would ring in a few seconds, I just let it go and went back to my classroom.

As what Arisato had said, my stomach growled the whole afternoon, but I was thankful that it wasn't loud enough to catch anyone's attention and the teacher proceeded with his lecture - going on about the law of gravity.

…Just a few more minutes – I can do this. I have to endure it.

"Psst, Akihiko..!"

I glanced at my seatmate, wondering what the grin on his face was all about, at the same time, thankful for the distraction.

"The others and I are going on a group date, want to come?"

I quirked a brow; why would he even bother to ask?

"You know my answer…"

"Oh come one!" He nudged me. "It's with the Tennis club members."

"And that interests me… why?"

He gaped at me, almost in disbelief. "Aren't you acquainted with the junior transfer student? That Arisato girl from class F..?"

That got me to sit up straight, recalling that she had told Takeba that she joined the Tennis club. "Is she going..?"

"Oh-ho, now I caught your interest, huh?"

I managed to force back the redness of my face. "No, she won't be joining the group date." I said, turning back to the teacher.

"Eh? How sure are you?"

"Very. Besides, she already has plans," I paused and looked back at him. "With _me_." I emphasized, wanting him to get the idea and not try to convince me any longer.

If Arisato was joining the group date, she would have already said so a while ago, but she said she was free, and she was the one who asked if I wanted company. From the short time I've known her, she doesn't break her word.

"When did _that_ happen?"

"I just bumped into her a while ago."

The look on his face was one I could not comprehend, but I just shrugged it off and chose to listen to the lecture, hoping that it may distract me from not only my hunger but also from my mind going back to Arisato's warmth.

By the time the bell signaled the end of school, I was so relieved that I did not bother to say goodbye to my seatmate or any of my classmates. I just simply got my things and rushed out of the room in order to wait for Arisato at the usual spot. When I got there, I wasn't surprised to see a group of girls talking.

Not wanting to deal with them, I sent Arisato a quick message to meet me at the Strip Mall instead, and when I got an 'okay' from her, I went there, successfully escaping from my unwanted fans without detection.

It didn't take long for me to arrive, nor did I have to wait some more for Arisato to show up. She was panting by the time she got to my side, and I had assumed she rushed over to meet me.

"You should drink some water…" I ended up handing her my sports bottle, and she gratefully took it and drank some of the contents. Once satisfied, she thanked me and handed it back, and I shrugged and led her to the Beef Bowl Shop.

"Why the rush, Arisato?"

She laughed when I asked, but answered none the less. "You're starving, right?"

I gave a light shrug, feeling a bit embarrassed when my stomach growled upon picking up the scent of the meat when we arrived at the restaurant. I eagerly turned to Arisato who stared at the place and then at me.

"…What's with that face?" I almost stammered, wondering why she didn't seem too thrilled. At least she didn't look disappointed either – almost like she had sort of expected it. "Honestly, the beef bowl is really great here. The servings are big, and the sauce they use on the meat is just-" I got cut off by an annoyingly loud scream.

"Akihiko-senpai! Eeeee!"

Arisato and I averted our heads to where the source came from, and much to my displeasure, two girls had instantly rushed up to me and began to violate my much needed personal space.

Ch. So much for evading them…

"Senpai, what're you doing here?"

Are they _this_ stupid? I'm standing in front of a Beef Bowl Shop, what else could I be doing here?

"Oh, I know! You're here for the beef bowls, right?"

Bingo. I guess her friend's not an airhead.

"It's, like, so funny that you're always eating here!"

I take back what I said – they're all airheads. "What's funny about that?"

"It means that you're totally cool!"

What? I raised a brow at that, and I could tell Arisato was just as bewildered as I am. "Look, can you get out of the way, please? We can't get in." I normally choose my words carefully in order to not sound rude, but they got on my nerves, and I was starving, damn it.

"Hey, hey, you don't have a girlfriend, right?"

"A… girlfriend?" Now why would they ask about that? I think they stalk me long enough to know about those things.

"We're, like, totally looking for guys to be with right now."

What's with the word 'like'? They seem to use it a lot, and why are they looking at Arisato in such a way? She didn't even do anything to them!

"Just let us through, please." I was beginning to sound desperate to get away from them. It's not only irritating to have them around, but they're also being too hostile to Arisato. I may not know her that well but I can tell she isn't one to pick fights with others. In fact, she's friendly…

…Too friendly actually, now that I think about it.

"If you want to talk to me," I added while looking at the two unwanted people. "Let's find some other time to do it." I didn't really like to keep someone waiting, that being Arisato too. "Let's go Arisato." I told her, and I was not blind to how the two girls had glared at her as if they wanted to burn her alive.

"Let's go senpai." She told me with a smile, much to my relief.

"Yeah, I'm starving." I actually feared that she would end up inviting them to join us, and that wasn't cool –_ not at all._

We pushed our way pass the two and found a seat near the counter. Since I was hungry, I got an extra large and this time, I asked Arisato what she wanted. She might end up forcing herself again if I ordered for her, and I didn't want that.

After some small talk about club activities and other sports that we took an interest in, we stepped out of the restaurant. I was glad that the two from earlier were nowhere to be seen.

"See? Wasn't that delicious?" I asked her, and she just smiled and gave a nod while stretching her arms, afterwards, looked around the area. "What's the matter?"

"Those girls are gone."

"Huh?" I blinked, before realizing that she meant the other two. "Oh, seems so." Out of reflex, my eyes narrowed. "People like them are nothing but trouble." I muttered. "They would have kept us from getting our food."

As I mused over what had happened, I heard a giggle escape from the underclassman next to me.

"What?"

"You were really hungry, weren't you senpai?"

I flushed and turned away. "Y-yeah…" and then a thought came to me. "Oh… I get it."

"Get what?"

"Do you think those girls wanted to have beef bowls too?"

The grin on her lips didn't assure me.

"Not in the way you think."

What was that supposed to mean?

I lowered my gaze to the floor, wondering what she meant. "I wonder what they wanted…"

Somehow, I kind of feel like I'm missing something, but I just don't know what. If they didn't want beef bowls, then what did they want? I do recall one of them saying they were looking for guys to be with, but why tell me that? I'm obviously not interested.

"So… what's your type?"

I snapped from my thoughts and looked towards Arisato, seeing her hands clasped behind her back while giving me an innocent look with a smile to boot.

"Uh… my favorite type of beef bowl?"

The way her mouth fell agape, and the way she suddenly covered it with one hand in an attempt to hide her laughter made me blush.

"O-Oh… you're talking about girls." She nodded furiously while trying in vain to hold back her laughter, and I feel all the more embarrassed. "Um… what type of girls do I like…" I recalled about a certain someone telling me what should be said when asked this type of question, and a wry smile appeared on my lips as I turned to Arisato who was now waiting for my answer, and that automatically made me back out. "I don't want to deal with this kind of thing…"

"Why is that, senpai?"

"…I'm…" I looked down and clenched my fists. "I'm not strong enough to carry this entire burden…"

It was hard for me whenever I think about how I failed to protect my sister. Even up to this point, I just can't let it go, can't help but feel how I'm still weak…

"Senpai, you're not weak."

Surprised, I looked at her to make sure I wasn't hearing things, and again, I saw her smiling.

"I've seen how you fight, I've seen you take down so many Shadows with just your fists like they were nothing."

I held in my breath when her hands suddenly grabbed my gloved ones, and I watched as she gazed at them, her right thumb running over my fingers, making my whole body rigid from the touch.

"You're strong, senpai…" when she said that, I barely heard it, but I did. "And that's why I feel safe whenever you're with me…"

"The type I like…" I suddenly spoke while keeping my eyes on her even when she had raised her head to look at me. "The type…" I grew more and more anxious. "The type I like is…" my cheeks grew hot as she kept staring at me in an expectant way – her eyes looking so glossy and...

Shit.

I immediately took a step back and turned somewhere else, refusing to meet her gaze or speak of my answer in a straight face.

"N-Never mind..!" I exclaimed all of a sudden. "I… I'd been told that whenever a girl asks that, the right answer is always "girls like you" – but… Agh! I can't bring myself to say it!"

What's more is… when she held my hands and kept a close distance, I just felt like I should say it.

"Damn… damn that Iori..!"

I heard a giggle, and soon, it turned into laughter.

"I-It's not funny..!" If possible, my face turned a darker shade of red.

Arisato laughed at me all the way back to the dorm, and I was certain my face didn't turn back to its normal color even as we reached the front steps.

"Come on… stop laughing…"

"Sorry senpai…" she chuckled and then breathed in. "Okay, sorry."

I nodded once, though I didn't look at her.

"Senpai..?"

And I frowned. "Hey, Arisato…"

"Yep?"

"Do you… well…" I stopped myself and shook my head. "Never mind, it's nothing important."

"When you say it like that senpai," she crossed her arms, and I could tell she was in her leader mode. "I know it's important."

"It's not, really, I swear." I scratched the back of my neck sheepishly. "But if you insist, I was just wondering if you could call me Akihiko, you know? I don't think you calling me by my last name has any more significance… rather, we're in the same team anyway, so…"

Her smile, if possible, grew even wider. "Then call me Minako, and I'll call you Akihiko-senpai."

Somewhere in the back of my head, I knew that it was because I didn't like how she addressed her friends or other guys by their first names, even if she barely knew them compared to the way she knew me.

"Coming, _Aki-hi-ko-_senpai? Or are you perhaps hit by a bufu spell?"

Her hands grabbed my right one, and she pulled me up the steps while smiling.

And to be frank, I feel a little… left out when others call her 'Minako', not to mention that Iori even has a nickname for her, even if it's the same with Takeba, it still makes me feel…

"Yo! S'up Mina-tan?"

…_uneasy.

* * *

_

_A/N: *Taichou - Captain_


	5. Minako: Afar

**Afar  
**_So I wait for the day  
The courage to say how much  
"I Love You"

* * *

_

"Minako..!"

I turned, a smile automatically making its way to my face as Yukari came running after me from the other end of the hallway.

"Phew. Glad I caught up to you."

I let her catch her breath first before asking what was up.

"Practice was canceled, and since you don't have practice today either, I figured we'd hang out, if you don't have any plans that is."

My cheeks turned a bit red, and the sly grin Yukari sent me was a sign that she knew what I was planning on doing today.

"Oh forget it, I'll grab Fuuka instead – have fun with Sanada-senpai!"

"Y-Yukari!" I yelled, flushing at the double meaning of her words as she ran off, laughing.

Still, I couldn't help but smile in gratitude when she let me be. After all, I only get to spend time with Akihiko-senpai twice a week – sometimes only once, and there were often times wherein I couldn't at all.

As I made my way down the stairs to meet up with him, I wasn't surprised to see the famed Akihiko Sanada being surrounded by his fans.

"Senpai! Let's go get some ramen!"

"Ne, go out with me senpai!"

"Want to eat beef bowls senpai?"

I had to stop myself from laughing at the look on his face – clueless and confused Akihiko-senpai as always. It made me wonder why he didn't just ask to meet me elsewhere like last time – but then again, he wasn't sure if I was free today too.

Deciding to have a bit of fun first, I merely leaned against the railing of the stairs and watched the scene unfold, giggling at how he turned down one girl after another.

Honestly, senpai gave a whole new meaning to the word "dense" – he took all of their demands literally! I bet he doesn't even know what their true intentions are too. And again, I am reminded of the time he took me to the Beef Bowl Shop. I was a bit disappointed, since I expected him to take me somewhere, but since he _is_ Akihiko-senpai, I still found it amusing and so… _him_.

"Minako..?"

I almost lost my balance when he suddenly called me, the noise coming from the girls dying down when he uttered my name. It may have been a week since our agreement to call each other by our first names, but I still wasn't used to him calling me that. It made my chest feel warm and made my cheeks turn pink.

"H-Hey, senpai." I gave a sheepish smile and scratched the back of my head – a habit I picked up from living in the same dorm as him.

Besides him calling my name, I also feel a bit nervous calling his name despite the 'senpai' attached. I try not to when we're in school, otherwise, rumors will start growing worse. It's bad enough that they talk about me, but to drag Akihiko-senpai in too? That's just annoying.

My heart began to beat twice as fast when he pushed his way through the bevy of girls and headed towards me.

The protests and indignant whines from his fans were heard by deaf ears as he asked what I was doing. I could only give a small shrug and he automatically knew that I was free for the afternoon. So he smiled that rare smile of his and took my hand – just like he would always do whenever we're surrounded by his admirers - he could just tell that they're out to get me.

"Alright, let's go."

Like the first time we hung out, I could feel the glares from his devoted followers, but I always did my best in ignoring them, focusing instead on what senpai was saying, or perhaps where he plans on taking me this time.

Hagakure? Or perhaps the Beef Bowl Shop again? I didn't really mind – they served the best beef bowls. And I blame senpai for my current addiction for them.

Minutes later after leaving Gekkoukan High, I found myself tilting my head to the side upon recognizing the familiar path back home. I took a quick glance at him, seeing his brows furrowed, his eyes looking straight ahead yet seeing nothing – he was in deep thought, apparently.

My lips parted but I closed them again, not wanting to distract him from his thoughts. Whatever it was he was thinking, it's probably important – since senpai doesn't like wasting time, and at that thought, I couldn't help but smile and blush at the idea that he doesn't consider our after-school-hang-outs as a waste of time.

"Minako…"

I blinked and turned to him. Senpai wasn't looking at me, rather, he seemed to be avoiding my gaze today.

"I… never mind."

And there he goes again with that 'never mind' of his..! I was about to tell him to just spill whatever it was, but the train arrived. I felt senpai's hand lightly tap the small of my back, guiding me into the cart filled with people. It was silent between us, though our surroundings buzzed with life as friends talked, gossiped, and laughed. It felt kind of odd for the two of us to be there, but since senpai didn't utter a single word, then I refuse to speak too, fearing that I might end up offending him or distracting his thoughts.

With a quiet sigh, I put on my earphones, knowing that senpai doesn't really mind if I listen to my mp3 player. Besides, he could always call my attention if he wants to speak to me. I switched on my portable player and let the music take over my being, letting me daydream about things.

I could see senpai's reflection from the window I was facing, and while it may appear as if I'm looking at the view, I'm actually looking at his face, at his eyes…

…They were looking at me.

Can my face turn any redder?

"Iwatodai… Iwatodai…"

I blinked when I saw senpai look up all of a sudden, and I almost giggled upon seeing his cheeks turn red.

"Minako."

I lowered my earphones and turned to face him, trying my best to look as if I didn't know he had been staring at me.

"We're here." He said, nodding towards the door when the train stopped.

I merely smiled and nodded once, letting him lead me out of the cart and out of the station. I expected senpai to talk this time, but like before, he was silent and in deep thought.

I guess I should start a conversation.

"So, senpai…" I turned my head to him, seeing him instantly look towards me.

From those two words alone, he seemed to have awakened from some sort of dream. Senpai had suddenly turned red again, and then sighed heavily, the blush on his face fading as he looked at anywhere else but me.

I pouted. "I'm bored."

"H-Huh? Oh, right, sorry." He mumbled, unsure of what else to say.

"Again, I repeat." I clasped my hands behind my back. "I'm-"

"…Look, if you don't want to tell me then you don't have to…"

At this, I stopped and raised a brow at him.

"Senpai..?"

I saw how worried he suddenly became, though he did his best avoiding my eyes.

"It's just that…" he seemed hesitant to continue, but he did eventually. "Is it true you're going out with Junpei?"

My body froze all of a sudden – it was like Mitsuru-senpai had cast a Bufu spell at me.

"Minako…?"

"What? No!"

I wasn't able to see how he reacted, but I did note how sorry his tone was.

"I see…" he sighed heavily, so I looked up at him to see his gaze averted. "Oh, no… it was just a rumor I heard. Sorry…"

I shook my head at that. "Don't get the wrong idea, senpai."

"I-I see…" He nodded once. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

"Senpai…"

"It's bad enough that I listened to a rumor, but then I confronted you about it… It was incredibly rude of me."

I couldn't help but smile slightly. Senpai had always been polite, even when he rejects his fans.

He soon looked at me and gave a barely noticeable grin – the one I found cute. "If I hear anyone say that again, I'll tell them it's not true."

My cheeks grew warm at the idea of senpai possibly defending me from those rumors. "You… you don't have to do that…"

"Is that so?" I fidgeted upon sensing his tone – it wasn't one of anger, but more of a "no way" type of tone. "Maybe it's best to avoid giving rumors any credibility by trying to deny them."

"…You've… got a point." I agreed, nodding once and shifting a bit. "These rumors… how long have they been going around?"

"As far as I know, a week. But I'm starting to think it's been longer."

I bit my lower lip at that. Senpai must have been worried, not to mention, did it get to Junpei and Yukari yet? What would they think of that?

"So… umm… should we get something on our way home?" He asked in hopes of probably lightening up the mood. He sighed dejectedly upon realizing that we were already standing in front of the dorm. "Oh, we're already back…"

I, too, was disappointed, but it disappeared when he gave me a grin.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

I immediately smiled. "Something sweet." After that news about me and Junpei, I needed sugar… lots of it.

"Yeah, that might be nice for a change."

And much to my surprise, he took my hand, as in really held it – not my wrist or my arm. His hold was a lot gentler than normal, and it made my fingers curl to hold his hand back, something which I didn't or haven't done yet since those times he would take it.

Akihiko-senpai didn't seem to mind it and just continued to lead me to wherever it was he planned on taking me. It made me wonder how he would do as a leader of SEES, made me think if he was aware of how safe I feel whenever he's holding my hand like this or if he's close by…

…it made me feel like I can overcome any kind of Shadow thrown my way.

Was he aware of how much I'm falling for him?


	6. Akihiko: Stumble

_A/N: Got my P3P addiction back, and that means I got hooked on the AkixFeMC pairing again haha. So for this chapter, it features the rank five and rank seven scenes of the Star Social Link._

* * *

**Stumble**  
_But as soon as I'd see you I'd forget all of my lines  
__And you'd never know what I feel inside_

* * *

"I heard that this place is popular." I manage to say, and then start to panic as the idea sunk in. "A-Are guys allowed to go in there..?" Because seriously, a sweets shop! I took her to a sweets shop just because I... well, she likes sweets...

A giggle comes from her, and my cheeks turn red in embarrassment.

"It's completely okay senpai." She tells me with that reassuring smile of hers.

"I-I see." I say, still hesitant about the idea. But upon looking back at her, I'm able to muster up the courage to go through this. "Then... let's go."

My eyes glance around the shop, and my slow movements probably got her to grab onto my hand and pull me towards the counter, and I nearly stumble at that. She smiles at me, and I turn red once more and look away, deciding to let her order for the both of us since... well, I have no idea what's _edible_ here.

When I heard the woman from behind the counter announce the bill, I swiftly took out my wallet and paid for whatever Minako ordered, and that caused her to stare at me.

"What?" I ask in confusion. "I... I asked you out so..."

She just gives me that smile of hers yet again, and then leads me to a nearby table with me carrying the tray which held a slice of strawberry cake and two dessert forks.

"You sure this is all you want?" I ask in an attempt to start a conversation.

"Yeah," she nods at me. "I've got a sweet tooth but I might end up spoiling my appetite if I eat too much."

"R-Right." I nod at her and stare at the cake, the strawberry syrup letting me know just how sugary sweet this would be.

"Eat up Akihiko-senpai!" She tells me with a huge grin before forking a piece of it. I watch her chew and swallow, and from the looks of it, her eyes seem to sparkle as she makes weird sounds that tells me she completely likes it.

I pick up my fork and hesitantly take a small piece, and then place it inside my mouth – my tongue feeling the soft texture of the cake.

"How is it?" She asks me with an expectant smile.

My brows furrow slightly as I swallow.

"Senpai?"

"That was rather sweet..." I say while looking down.

"Did you not like it?"

I look up to see her staring at me, and while she may have tried to mask her disappointment with a small smile, I was able to detect it from the tone of her voice.

"Oh... I mean, I don't hate having sweets..." I clarify. "But I don't really have them that often, so I was surprised at how sugary it was." I feel really embarrassed right now. "And... and..." I look away with a dark red tint on my cheeks. "It seemed like you like eating sweet things, so..."

I try to keep my gaze down, but the shocked look on her face told me that she recalled my confrontation with her about Iori.

"Still..." I continue eyeing something else. "It was like having a lump of pure sugar in my mouth..."

"Sorry senpai."

"No," I shake my head. "It's alright. Besides, Takeba sometimes gives me sweet snacks once in a while."

She raises a brow in my direction with an amused grin on her face. "Does she now?"

"Yeah. She says that she'd be screwed if she eats any more, then shove them at me..." I hope that didn't sound like I was whining. "But that's not important right now." I lift my gaze and look at her directly in the eye, and she seems to be taken aback by that. "Um..." I somehow forget what it is that I really want to say, and end up just asking: "Are you still hungry? Want to get some real food?" and as an afterthought, I mumble under my breath: "It doesn't have to be something sweet..."

She was about to open her mouth and answer, but once again, we were interrupted.

"Oh, Akihiko-senpai!"

I blink and look to the direction of where the voice came from, and to my horror, I see the two girls from last time.

"Omigosh, I'm like, so jazzed to run into you here again."

...Jazzed?

"Say, why are you here with Junpei's girlfriend?" The girl with buns suddenly asked, and I look at her sharply. "Like, stop stealing all the single guys when you've already got one for yourself!"

I feel my fingers clench tightly, and my eyes instantly narrow down to a glare.

"I'm not Junpei's girlfriend." I hear Minako say with a calm but firm voice, and I have to admire her courage at that despite two girls glaring down at her. Then again, she fights and stares at Shadows straight on without fear, so these two wouldn't be much of a threat to her.

"Huh? Who asked you?" One of the two girls said.

I've had enough of this, so I look directly at Minako who was still calm despite the situation. "As you can see," I start, earning their attention. "I'm with Minako right now."

I didn't care much about how the other two reacted, but with the small smile our leader sent me, I end up returning it with a light smirk.

"We'll have to talk some other time." Perhaps _never_. So I stand up, grab my things and offer my free hand to Minako. "Let's go."

She takes my hand after holding onto her own belongings and we leave the two behind, not even giving them a second glance.

The whole trip back to dorm, I couldn't help but glare at nothing in particular. Even up until now, there are still rumors about her being Iori's girlfriend despite the fact that I've already cleared that up with some of the students, with Mitsuru lending a hand too.

By the time we arrive at the dorm, I realize I have been holding onto Minako's hand the whole time, and I wonder if my grip hurt her.

"...Oh, sorry." I let go of her hand, feeling strangely cold without the feeling of her warmth. "Did I hurt your hand?" I ask her, trying to smile to keep her from asking about what I had been thinking. "...Sorry about what happened back there."

"It's not your fault senpai." She tells me with a smile, but I have to disagree, because I know for a fact that those girls will continue to pick fights with her just for hanging out with me. Still...

"I'm glad to hear you say that." My smile falters as I think back to her own personal admirers. "All this about me showing off and taking someone else's girlfriend..." my brows knit at the idea that the rumors haven't died down at all. "There are people in my class saying things about me, too..."

"I'm sorry about that senpai."

I look at her, seeing her hang her head low.

"Minako." I feel my breath get caught in my throat when she looks at me. "...I had fun today." I said with a smile. "It's nice to have sweet things once in a while."

She smiles as well and nods in agreement.

"We should go out for pancakes next time."

Her head tilts in confusion. "Pancakes?"

And I laugh lightly in embarrassment. "...I like them." I admit. "Does that seem like the kind of food I wouldn't like?" And I pause before recalling something. "Say, you're in the cooking club right? Maybe you can make them for me."

She laughs at that and nods her head. "I'll remember that senpai."

I can't really tell just what it is I'm feeling with having her around; when she laughs or smiles, I feel like I'm at peace. When she looks at me, I feel like my heart stops and my breath gets caught in my throat.

This happens for a number of times when we go out, and for weeks it has always been like that – her laughing and smiling while I feel too stumped to say anything that I really mean to say. I can't even forget about what happened at Wild Duck Burger when she mentioned something about feeling sorry for the kid who was apparently whining and everything.

I had dismissed the boy as energetic and full of spirit, mainly because I hadn't been paying attention actually since I was too distracted with thinking about these weird feelings I have when she's around.

* * *

"Senpai, watch out!"

I look up and manage to step aside in time when a Shadow had attempted to punch me. The moment I dodged it, it stumbled and fell to the ground, and I immediately call for an all out attack which Minako quickly approves as she, Yukari, and Koromaru run towards me and we all finish off the Shadow.

Once it was defeated, Minako calls for a five minute break to not wear ourselves out, with Yukari casting her Mediarahan on all of us to keep us going.

"Senpai."

I look from the floor of Tartarus to Minako's eyes.

"Is something bothering you?"

My mouth opens but the words get caught in my throat, and I end up shaking my head and turning away with furrowing brows.

"You know you can tell me."

"Yeah." I manage to say. I practically told her about my past and most of the things that has been bothering me - except of course those feelings that I have when she's around. "I just got a little distracted about something."

"That's not like you."

I give her a wry smile, sensing her concerned tone. "You're right."

She lowers her gaze. "Maybe you're tired and you're not telling me."

"No," I shake my head. "I'll definitely tell you if that were the case."

"Then what's wrong?"

I stay silent once again, because how can I tell her that she's the reason why I can't focus properly?

"We're good to go!"

I thank Takeba for calling Minako's attention, plus Koromaru's enthusiastic barking to fight more Shadows. I laugh at this and walk towards the dog and give him a pat on the head.

"I agree with Koromaru." I said with a grin, and from how Minako keeps looking at me, I can tell she won't drop our topic too easily, but will let it slide for now since we're in Tartarus.

"Alright, let's get going." She smiles at us and turns to a corner while we diligently follow her lead. "Shadow up ahead!" She declares. "And it's glowing red – this is going to be tough!"

"Nothing we can't handle." I say with a smirk, and she sends me a grin before hitting the two Shadows from behind.

"Senpai!"

I nod at Minako and perform my debuff skills on them in order to weaken them, while Minako increases our defenses against the strong physical attacks these guys give.

When one of the two Shadows performed a power charge skill, a trickle of sweat trailed from the side of my forehead as I thought back to what happened in the lower floors when we first encountered these guys.

Takeba was almost left unconscious at that time had she not been able to withstand the attack, and she's pretty important when Minako first told me of her strategies. From what I noticed, ever since she learned of my persona's abilities, she hasn't _once_left me below Tartarus when my ribs healed, all the while switching Takeba with Mitsuru or Amada for healing, and Koromaru with Aigis or Iori, and if Shinji feels like it, she'll pick him to come with us to increase our chances of winning.

"Koro-chan!"

I look towards Minako and then at Koromaru who immediately cast a Masukukaja on us to increase our agility. I turn back to the enemy when the one who cast a power charge on itself starts laughing a deep and evil chuckle, and before I knew it, my feet move on their own when it had its eyes set on Minako while readying a strong physical attack to direct to her.

Her grip on her Naginata was tight, as if she was preparing herself to counter it or perhaps lessen the impact. Everything felt like slow motion when I rush to her, when the Shadow's fist was close to hitting her, and I suddenly feel my shoulder bumping against her body, with me taking the place of the hit which sent me skidding to the back and down on the floor.

"Sanada-senpai!" I hear Takeba yell out with Koromaru barking in worry. I do not reply and turn to look at Minako who was on the floor as well and looking at me with wide eyes – shocked at what I had just done. My eyes shift back to the Shadow that had knocked me down, and I quickly get back up to my feet and prepare to hit back.

I rush to it, ignoring how the others protested, and I pull back a fist and punch the Shadow with all my might, following it up with two more which results to a critical hit, sending it down at that.

"Now, Takeba!"

Takeba stammered out a "yes" and summoned her Persona to perform a wind attack on the two Shadows, eliminating them in an instant due to their weakness for the element and from the previous attacks earlier that drained most of their lives.

"Senpai..."

I turn to Minako while shaking my left fist to get the blood flowing. "Don't worry. I can still keep going."

She tightened her grip on her naginata and lowers her head. "That blow almost killed you."

I turn elsewhere, feeling nervous and awkward at the situation while Takeba and Koromaru wait for us, eyes keeping a look out for any other Shadow.

"Suzaku." I hear Minako say in a soft voice, and I can feel the diarahan skill healing me.

"Mina-"

"Everyone split up and search for the access point."

My eyes widen at Minako who still keeps her head lowered.

"O-Okay." Takeba says as she and Koromaru part from us to carry out the order.

"Minako I-"

"Split up and search for the access point." She repeated, still holding onto her naginta.

"...Roger." And I turn and leave her there, because even if we've grown close, she's still the leader when it involves SEES activities, and everything she says is absolute when in Tartarus.

As I turn every corner of this wretched place, I can't help but think if taking the attack meant for her earlier was a mistake, or if it was wrong to do so – but I couldn't help it when I realized how that could have hurt her greatly, and I don't want her getting hurt if I can help it.

* * *

"Senpai?"

I look up from my bowl of ramen, my thoughts from last night fading when I meet Minako's gaze.

"Well... um..." I stammer a bit; I asked her out after school and I don't even say anything? Nice. "How are you?" I end up asking, looking into her eyes that are full of confusion right now. "Physically, I mean."

I watch how she blinks a few times before looking at her own bowl of ramen. "How about you, senpai?"

"Huh?" I turn away at this; she still hasn't dropped what happened in Tartarus last night. "O-Oh... I'm alright."

"You seem conflicted."

"..."

"...Senpai?"

"It's just that..." I close my eyes and recall how that Shadow was about to land a hit on her. "When I watch you fight... I get... I don't know, I feel... angry."

"I'm..." she stutters. "I'm sorry."

I am taken aback by this and quickly look at her. "No, I didn't really mean it that way." And my hand ends up scratching the back of my head, feeling troubled at where this conversation is going. "It's not so much that I get angry, but I get irritated- no, that's not it either." I sigh heavily. "I guess I get... nervous."

"Do I seem unreliable senpai?"

"No." I smile lightly. "You're really doing a great job." Despite my words, I can still feel the tension between us and how thick it is. "Is..." I turn back to my ramen. "Is there any way... that you can avoid having to fight?"

Her eyes widen and turn to me.

"Oh... never mind, sorry." I look down once more. "Forget what I just said. I mean, you're trying the hardest out of all of us, I shouldn't have said that to you."

"Should I... still be the leader?"

"No that's not it!" I blurt out. "I think you're the only one of us who can take that role, and I mean it!" I realize my outburst, and I calm myself down before speaking again. "Sorry. I'm confused myself." I let out a sigh at this and ask myself what I'm saying.

"Senpai..."

"Minako," I breathe in and exhale. "Deep down, I know why I don't want you to fight... it's just that... that..." I feel heat rise to my cheeks and I turn away. "I'm worried about you."

I'm sure she's staring at me, and I'm certain she's smiling – I can feel it.

"C'mon... Eat." I nudge her bowl while trying to avoid her gaze. "Eat up."

We then start to eat our food, the other customers' chatters filling in what would have been an awkward silence. From time to time, I would glance her way, watching how she still has that smile on her face, and how her cheeks seem pink, and for some strange reason, I find myself smiling at her expression.

What the hell has gotten into me?

* * *

_A/N: So, guys? __I'm wondering if I still have Akihiko in-character here. Let me know please! Also, since I started playing and getting hooked with P3P, I've been thinking up of a possible story, though I'm not entirely sure if I'll go for it just yet – even if I do have the first chapter written out; in any case, here's a peek:_

"Master, the Shadows will never disappear, just like Tartarus and the Dark Hour."

"We can still hope – now that we have two Wild Card users, there is a higher chance that the Dark Hour will finally end."

The torch on either side of Igor flickered for a bit, and the silence came back into the room.

"Now that the alliance between families is broken, the Kirijo and Arisato must now stand on their own. We shall see each other again when a new generation of Persona-users come. From now on, only the leader, Arisato Minako, has access to visiting me, as well as who she chooses to bring with her."

_So the story is kind of like P3P itself; it still has the Dark Hour, still has the Persona, but I'm basing it more on a fanart I spotted a year ago wherein Minako is seated at some sort of chair, with the male SEES members (including Minato) and Koromaru surrounding her like guards or knights – whichever floats your boat. So I guess you can grasp what the story may be about. The trouble with it though is I have no idea about the ending – much less how it would flow._


End file.
